JP4316389B2 - Joint connector - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a joint connector suitable for connecting a wire harness or the like routed in an automobile or the like.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, this type of connector includes a connector case 3 having a connecting portion 2 to which the mating connector 1 is fitted and connected, and a bracket 5 provided on a support body 4 such as a vehicle body panel. A bracket insertion hole 7 to be inserted and locked from the side where the connector 1 is fitted and connected, and a lock piece 8 for locking the bracket 5 inserted into the bracket insertion hole 7, and the outer surface of the wall 3 a of the connector case 3 The thing provided with the through-lock part 6 provided in is proposed. Reference numeral 5a denotes a locking hole formed through the bracket, 8a denotes a protrusion formed on the lock piece 8, and when the bracket 5 is inserted into the bracket insertion hole 7, the protrusion 8a of the lock piece 8 engages with the bracket 5. The joint connector is fixedly attached to the bracket 5 of the support body 4 by engaging with the blind hole 5a. Reference numeral 9 denotes a plurality of wires for the wire harness connected to the mating connector (see Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-189155 (paragraph numbers 0002 to 0006 in FIG. 4 in the Detailed Description of the Invention, FIG. 4)

  Such a joint connector is generally used by fitting and connecting the mating connector 1 to the connector case 3 and then attaching and fixing it to the bracket 5 of the support body 4 such as a vehicle body panel. However, since the bracket 5 of the support 4 is usually provided in a narrow space, as shown in FIG. 5A, the through lock portion 6 is attached to the bracket 5 in order to attach the joint connector to the bracket 5. When placed close to each other, the electric wire 9 connected to the mating connector 1 bends, and the unbound electric wire 9 exposed outward from the mating connector 1 laughs and spreads outward, and extends from the connector case 3 to the bracket 5 side. It becomes easy to protrude outside.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 5 (B), the through lock portion 6 is positioned so as to face the side surface of the support 4 so as to face the bracket 5, and then pushed toward the bracket 5, so that the bracket 5 is connected to the joint connector. When trying to insert into the bracket insertion hole 7 of the through-lock portion 6, the electric wire portion 9 a protruding from the connector case is caught in the gap between the bracket 5 and the through-lock portion 6 and damaged, or to the bracket 5 of the support 4. There is a problem that the mounting work of the joint connector is hindered.

  The present invention was born in view of the above, and when the joint connector is mounted and fixed to the bracket of the support body, the electric wire of the mating connector is prevented from protruding outward on the bracket side of the connector case, and between the bracket and the through lock portion. To provide a joint connector that prevents the electric wire from being caught in the gap, prevents the electric wire from being damaged, and can smoothly perform the attaching operation of the joint connector to the support bracket without causing any trouble. Objective.

In order to achieve the above object, the invention described in claim 1 of the present invention includes a connector case having a connection portion to which a mating connector is fitted and connected, and a bracket insertion for inserting and locking a bracket of a support. In the joint connector having a lock piece for locking the bracket and the bracket inserted into the bracket insertion hole, and having a through lock portion provided on the outer surface of the wall of the connector case, the through lock portion of the connector case is provided. An extension member for preventing the electric wire connected to the mating connector from protruding from the connector case to the outside of the bracket side is extended to the end of the wall body where the mating connector is fitted and connected , The length of the wire protrusion preventing member that exceeds the end of the mating connector connected to the connector case on the side where the wire is connected It is characterized in that the configuration was.

The invention described in claim 2 of the present invention, in the joint connector of claim 1, wherein the electric wire extrusion preventing member, extending to set along the outer surface of the wall body of the connector case, the electrical wire extrusion preventing member In the state where the extending length from the end of the wall body is positioned so that the through lock portion faces the bracket in order to attach a joint connector to the bracket of the support body, the through lock portion This is characterized in that it is set to be longer than the gap between the end on the side where the mating connector is fitted and connected and the tip of the bracket .

According to the joint connector described in claim 1 of the present invention, when the joint connector is attached and fixed to the bracket of the support body, the electric wire connected to the counterpart connector is bent, and the electric wire exposed outward from the counterpart connector is Even if it laughs and spreads to the outside, the wire protruding from the connector case is connected to the connector case by a length exceeding the end of the mating connector connected to the connector case. It is suppressed that it protrudes outside. As a result, when the through lock part of the joint connector is pushed toward the bracket and the bracket is inserted into the bracket insertion hole of the through lock part, the electric wire is not caught in the gap between the bracket and the through lock part. . Therefore, damage to the electric wire can be prevented, the reliability of the wiring body can be improved, and the life can be extended. Further, the joint connector can be attached to the bracket of the support body without causing any trouble, and the wiring body can be efficiently routed, so that the routing cost can be reduced.

According to the joint connector described in claim 2 of the present invention, when the wire protrusion preventing member functions as a guide member when the bracket is inserted into the through lock portion, the bracket can be quickly inserted. Thus, the joint connector can be smoothly and easily attached to the bracket of the support.
Also, after mating and connecting the mating connector to the connector case, the through-lock part provided in the connector case is brought close to the bracket, and the through-lock part is positioned close to the side of the support so as to face the bracket. When inserting and fixing the joint connector to the support bracket, the wire connected to the mating connector bends and the wire exposed outward from the mating connector laughs and spreads outward. Even if it is going to be soldered, it is possible to more reliably prevent the electric wire from protruding from the connector case to the outside on the bracket side.

  Next, the best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a joint connector according to the present invention, in which a mating connector is inserted, and FIG. 2 is a mating connector connected to the connector case of the joint connector of FIG. It is an XX arrow expanded sectional view of the connector case in a state.

  The joint connector of this embodiment is used as a multipolar connector of an automobile wire harness, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a connector case 13 having a connection portion 15 to which a mating connector 11 is fitted and connected, The bracket 19 provided on the support 17 (see FIG. 3) is inserted from the side on which the mating connector 11 is fitted and connected, and the bracket 19 is inserted and locked, and the bracket 19 inserted in the bracket insertion hole 21 is locked. It has a piece 23 and a through-lock portion 25 provided on the outer surface of the wall 14 of the connector case 13.

  In the counterpart connector 11, for example, a terminal accommodating chamber 29 for accommodating a female terminal (not shown) connected to the end of the wire 27 for the wire harness is provided in a single layer in a plurality of chambers (10 in the illustrated example), and is plastic molded. Ten connector housings 31 of the same structure and size formed in a plate shape by processing are stacked in a plurality of stages (in the illustrated example, 10 stages), and are combined by housing connecting means (not shown), and the uppermost connector housing 31 is assembled. And a laminated connector having a cover 33 mounted thereon.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the connector case 13 is formed by molding a plastic material into a square box shape, and the mating connector 11 is fitted and connected from one side along the longitudinal axis. A connector housing chamber 35 for receiving and housing the mating connector 11 is provided on one side (left side in FIG. 1). And the guide groove 37 inserted while guiding both sides of the connector housing 31 in the mating connector 11 on both inner wall surfaces of the connector case 13 in which the connector housing chamber 35 is provided is the longitudinal direction of the connector case 13, that is, Along the insertion direction of the counterpart connector 11 and in the vertical direction, they are provided at intervals that match the stacking interval of the connector housings 31 of the counterpart connector 11.

  When the mating connector 11 is inserted into the connector case 13 on both side walls of the connector case 13 where the connector housing chambers 35 are provided, for example, the third and eighth connector housings of the connector 11 An engagement portion made of an elastic piece has a claw 43 that engages with an engagement recess 39 provided in the connector housing 31 of the mating connector 11 at the tip side at a portion where the guide groove 37 is inserted while being guided 31. The nail | claw part 41 is provided in the cantilever shape (refer FIG. 2).

  The connecting portion 15 to which the mating connector 11 is fitted and connected is attached to the base wall 45 of the connector case 13 and is connected to the connector through a plurality of (100 in the illustrated example) male terminal insertion holes 47 formed in the base wall 45. The case 13 includes a circuit forming body having a plurality (100 in the illustrated example) of male terminals 49 projecting from the connector housing chamber 35 of the case 13 and holders 51 for supporting the male terminals 49.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the 100 male terminals 49 are made of pin-shaped connecting members made of a highly conductive material such as copper or a copper alloy material. These male terminals 49 have, for example, a square cross section and are formed to have the same dimensions in width, height, and length. The male terminal 49 may have a rectangular cross section or a circular cross section. The holder 51 is made of a circuit board in which a circuit pattern made of a conductor such as copper foil is provided on one surface (back surface) of an insulating plate such as plastic by printing or the like. The male terminal 49 is supported on the other surface (front surface) of the holder 51 by penetrating the holder 51 and soldered to the circuit pattern. Note that the male terminal 49 and the holder 51 constituting the connection portion 15 may be constituted by a bus bar made of a highly conductive material such as copper or a copper alloy material.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the connection portion 15 is accommodated in a connection portion accommodation chamber 53 provided on the opposite side of the connector accommodation chamber 35 of the connector case 13 with a base wall 45 therebetween, and is connected to the base wall 45 of the connector case 13. At the same time, the male terminal 49 of the connecting portion 15 is projected into the connector housing chamber 35 through the male terminal insertion hole 47 formed in the base wall 45, and is inserted into the female terminal of the mating connector 11 to be connected. It is like that. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, 55 is a case cover that is attached to the opening of the connection portion accommodation chamber 53 of the connector case 13 and holds and protects the connection portion 15 accommodated in the connection portion accommodation chamber 53. is there.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the through-lock portion 25 extends in parallel to the outer surface of one wall body 14 of the connector case 13 along the direction in which the bracket 19 is inserted, and at an interval corresponding to the width of the bracket. A pair of projecting ridges 57 having an inverted L-shaped cross section, and protruding from the upper inner edge of both ridges 57 to a portion closer to the rear part of both ridges 57 so as to be integrated between both ridges 57 The cover wall 59 is provided. The lock piece 23 is made of an elastic body and is integrally extended forward in a cantilevered manner from the center of the cover wall 59 so as to be parallel to both protrusions 57. The bracket 19 is attached to the inner surface on the free end side. A protrusion 23a (see FIG. 3) that engages with a locking hole 19a that is formed through is provided. Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3A, the bracket insertion hole 21 is formed in a space surrounded by the upper surface of the wall body 14, both protrusions 57, the covering wall 59, and the lock piece 23. The opening of the bracket insertion hole 21 is on the side where the mating connector is fitted and connected, and faces the direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the connector case. When the bracket 19 is inserted into the bracket insertion hole 21 of the through lock portion 25, the projection 23 a of the lock piece 23 is engaged with the engagement hole 19 a and the bracket 19 is locked to the through lock portion 25. Thereby, the joint connector is attached and fixed to the bracket 19 of the support body 17.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the joint connector of the above embodiment is further supported at the end of the connector case 13 on the side where the mating connector 11 of the wall body 14 provided with the through-lock portion 23 is fitted and connected. When the joint connector is attached to the bracket 19 of the body 17, it is composed of a rectangular flat strip that prevents the electric wire 27 in the vicinity of the connector 11 connected to the counterpart connector 11 from protruding from the connector case 13 to the outside on the bracket 19 side. An electric wire protrusion preventing member (electric wire pinching preventing member) 61 protrudes from the end portion along the wall body 14 of the connector case 13, that is, along the longitudinal axis of the connector case 13 (substantially left in FIG. 1). The case 13 extends integrally with the case 13.

  The protruding length (height) of the electric wire protrusion preventing member protruding from the end of the connector case is set to a length that can prevent the electric wire 27 from protruding outward from the connector case 13 to the bracket 19 side. Therefore, it does not necessarily need to be long. As a guide, as shown in FIG. 3B, the through lock portion 25 provided in the connector case 13 is opposed to the bracket 19 in order to attach the joint connector to the bracket 19 of the support body 17. The length L is set so as to be larger than the gap (gap) G between the tip (lower end) of both protrusions 57 constituting the through lock portion 25 and the tip (upper end) of the bracket 19 in the positioned state. Is preferred.

  In the case where the connector case 13 is formed by molding a plastic material as described above, it is possible that the electric wire protrusion preventing member 61 is also molded at the same time as the case 13 and is integrally extended. And strength is preferred. Note that the electric wire protrusion preventing member 61 may be extended by tightening the end of the connector case 13 with a bolt, a screw, or the like. In addition, the wire protrusion preventing member 61 may have a strip shape (elongated rectangular shape), a tongue-like shape (U shape), or the like in addition to the rectangular shape. Further, in addition to the flat strip, it may be formed of a grid-like piece, a net-like piece, an arc-like piece slightly bent inward so as to surround the converging body of the electric wire 27 in the circumferential direction, or the like. The joint connector of this embodiment is configured as described above.

  When assembling this joint connector, the mating connector 11 is opposed to the connector housing chamber 35 of the connector case 13, the connector case 13 (connector housing chamber 35) and the center of the mating connector 11 are aligned, and the connector housing chamber 35. The mating connector 11 is inserted and fitted therein. And the nail | claw 43 of the engagement nail | claw part 41 by the side of the connector case 13 is engaged with the engagement recessed part 39 by the side of the other party connector 11, and the other party connector 11 is locked to the connector case 13, and the male terminal by the side of the connector case 13 49 is inserted and connected to a female terminal (not shown) on the counterpart connector 11 side. As a result, the mating connector 11 is fitted and connected to the connector case 13 (see FIG. 2).

  This joint connector is generally used by fitting and connecting the mating connector 11 to the connector case 13 and then attaching and fixing it to a bracket 19 of a support body 17 such as a vehicle body panel in an automobile as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the joint connector is attached to the bracket 19 of the support member 17, as shown in FIG. 3A, the through lock portion 25 provided in the connector case 13 is disposed close to the bracket 19. Next, from this state, as shown in FIG. 3B, the through lock portion 25 is positioned toward the side surface of the support body 17 so as to face the bracket 19. Next, from this state, the through-lock portion 25 is pushed downward toward the bracket 19 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 3B, and the bracket 19 is inserted into the through-lock of the joint connector as shown in FIG. Insert into the bracket insertion hole 21 of the portion 25. Then, the protrusion 23 a of the lock piece 23 of the through lock portion 25 engages with the locking hole 19 a of the bracket 19 to lock the bracket 19 to the through lock portion 25. Thus, the joint connector is attached and fixed to the bracket 19 of the support body 17.

  According to the joint connector of the present invention as described above, when the joint connector is attached and fixed to the bracket 19 of the support 17, the electric wire 27 connected to the counterpart connector 11 is bent and exposed outward from the counterpart connector 11. Even if the electric wire 27 laughs and tries to spread outward, the electric wire protrusion preventing member 61 prevents the connector case 13 from protruding outward on the bracket 19 side. As a result, when the through-lock portion 25 of the joint connector is pushed toward the bracket 19 and the bracket 19 is inserted into the bracket insertion hole 21 of the through-lock portion 25, the electric wire 27 is inserted into the gap between the bracket 19 and the through-lock portion 25. There will be no biting. Therefore, damage to the electric wire 27 can be prevented, the reliability of the wiring body can be improved, and the life can be extended. In addition, the attachment work of the joint connector to the bracket 19 of the support body 17 can be performed without causing trouble, and the wiring body can be efficiently routed, and the routing cost can be reduced.

  Further, since the wire protrusion preventing member 61 functions as a guide member when the bracket 19 is inserted into the through-lock portion 25, the bracket 19 can be quickly inserted, and the joint connector can be attached to the support body 17. It can be attached to the bracket 19 smoothly and easily.

  In the joint connector of the present invention, like the one described in Patent Document 1 (see FIG. 4), the connector case 13 is fitted and connected to the mating connector 11 from both sides along the longitudinal axis. Thus, the connector housing chamber 35 for receiving and housing the mating connector 11 is provided on both sides, and the present invention can also be applied to a configuration in which the through lock portions 25 are provided back to back.

1 is an exploded perspective view showing an embodiment of a joint connector according to the present invention, into which a mating connector is inserted. It is an XX arrow expanded sectional view of the connector case in the state by which the other party connector was fittingly connected to the connector case of the joint connector of FIG. 1A and 1B show a state in which the joint connector of FIG. 1 is attached to a bracket of a support body, in which FIG. 1A shows a state in which the joint connector is brought close to the bracket of the support body, and FIG. (C) is a figure of the state which inserted the bracket in the through-lock part and made it latch, and attached the joint connector to the bracket of a support body. It is a perspective view which shows the conventional joint connector. The state which attaches the conventional joint connector to the bracket of a support body is shown, (A) is a figure of the state which placed the joint connector close to the bracket of a support body, (B) is a through lock part of a joint connector. FIG. 6 is a view showing a state in which the protruding portion of the wire of the mating connector is caught in the gap between the bracket and the through lock portion when inserted into the connector.

11 Mating connector 13 Connector case 14 Wall body 15 Connection portion 17 Support body 19 Bracket 19a Locking hole 21 Bracket insertion hole 23 Lock piece 23a Projection 25 Through lock portion 27 Electric wire 29 Terminal housing chamber 31 Connector housing 33 Cover 35 Connector housing chamber 37 Guide groove 39 Engagement recess 41 Engagement claw part 43 Claw 45 Base wall 47 Male terminal insertion hole 49 Male terminal 51 Holder 53 Connection part accommodation chamber 55 Case cover 57 Projection line 59 Cover wall 61 Electric wire protrusion prevention member

Claims (2)

A connector case having a connecting portion to which the mating connector is fitted and connected;
A bracket insertion hole for inserting and locking the bracket of the support body, a lock piece for locking the bracket inserted in the bracket insertion hole, and a through-lock portion provided on the outer surface of the wall of the connector case In joint connector,
At the end of the wall side where the other connector of the wall body provided with the through-lock portion of the connector case is fitted and connected,
Extend the wire protrusion prevention member to prevent the wire connected to the mating connector from protruding outward from the connector case to the bracket side ,
The wire protrusion prevention member,
A joint connector having a length exceeding the end of the mating connector connected to the connector case on the side to which the electric wire is connected . The wire protrusion preventing member ,
Extending along the outer surface of the wall of the connector case ,
The extension length of the electric wire protrusion preventing member from the end of the wall body,
In order to attach the joint connector to the bracket of the support body, the end portion of the through lock portion on the side where the mating connector is fitted and connected in a state where the through lock portion is positioned to face the bracket The joint connector according to claim 1, wherein the joint connector is set to be longer than a gap between the bracket and the tip of the bracket .

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